Beef Cattle Production
The University of Florida North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC), Marianna, is located on nearly 1,400 acres of which 1,000 acres are dedicated to beef research through capital acquisitions by the State of Florida. There is approximately 800 acres of the beef research unit in forage production (Bermuda, Bahiagrass, and winter annuals) of which approximately 200 acres are irrigated. Facilities include feed bins, fencing, watering systems, working pens, chutes/scales, hay storage, hay equipment, animal working building, offices, and laboratories.
The cowherd is made up of approximately 200 cows and 50 replacement heifers. The Feed Efficiency Facility has a GrowSafe feed measuring system that will track individual feed consumption, water intake and feeding behavior on 440 head of cattle at a given time. Equipment available in the facility housing the GrowSafe equipment includes: offices, animal laboratory, tractors, feeding equipment, feed storage, animal waste handling equipment along with animal working facilities. This facility is unique as it is the only one conducting research with the United States with a major emphasis on cattle adapted to subtropical regions. This facility allows researchers the opportunity identify cattle which are more efficient in subtropical climates.
Our beef research is focused in three primary areas: a) forage production; b) beef management systems; and c) feed efficiency. 
- Feed Efficiency/Feed Utilization
- Beef Cattle Management
- Florida Bull Test
- Livestock Nutrition/Forage Utilization
More Information
For additional information contact Cliff Lamb at 850-482-1356 or email to gclamb@ufl.edu.